JUDGMENT OF 15. 12. 1971 — JOINED CASES 51 TO 54/71 INTERNATIONAL FRUIT COMPANY v PRODUKTSCHAP GROENTEN EN FRUIT

In Joined Cases 51 to 54/71 Reference to the Court under Article 177 of the EEC Treaty by the College van Beroep voor het Bedrijfsleven for a prelirninary ruling in the action pending before that court between

THE COURT composed of: R.Lecourt, President, J.Mertens de Wilmars and H. Kutscher, Presidents of Chambers, A. M. Dormer, A. Trabucchi, R. Monaco (Rapporteur) and P. Pescatore, Judges, Advocate-General: K. Roemer Registrar: A. Van Houtte

gives the following

JUDGMENT

Issues of fact and of law

I — Facts and procedure

II — Written observations submitted under Article 20 of the Statute of the Court

A — Observations submitted by the plaintiffs in the main action

B — Observations submitted by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

C — Observations submitted by the Commission of the European Communities

Grounds of judgment

The first question

Second question

Costs